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A SERIES of cultural and musical attractions will be staged throughout next month for families who will be staying in Bahrain during the summer, reports Shilpa Chandran.
The Bahrain Summer Festival 2010 will be held under the theme 'Children First' and will feature an array of performances by leading international and regional acts.
There will be a few events for adults too.
The annual event is sponsored and organised by The Ministry of Culture and Information supported by the Economic Development Board, Mumtalakat and Zain.
Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture and Information, said: "Recognising that the summer is a season for change and renewed activity, we chose to make it a festive season for both children and adults."
One of the attractions throughout the festival will be the Nakhool tent featuring a palm tree symbol - the festival's emblem - highlighting the Bahraini heritage of Malkiya, which is a spin-off from the ministry's successful 'I love my country - I love my village' project.
Last year, the tent was set up in Hillat Abd Al Saleh village and other communities will come under the spotlight in future festivals.
Haya Ahmed Al Sada, head of Cultural Affairs, Culture & National Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Information, said: "Village life is an important aspect in Bahrain's society and through the Nakhool tent we want to create a dialogue between the city and villages. We want to integrate them and show the world that we work together as the kingdom progresses."
Shows will be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre in Sanabis and the Cultural Hall next to the Bahrain National Museum in Manama.
Haya added: "Last year was quite successful in terms of the programming and demand for seats was extremely high. We staged events at the Cultural Hall but witnessed an incredible response and found more people wanting to attend some of the shows than we could accommodate. As a result we erected huge screens outside the hall to allow people to watch the programmes.
"This year, we have placed some of the shows at the larger exhibition centre to allow even more people to enjoy the events live."
Haya explained that while the festival was open for everybody on the island, the ministry is also hoping to reach out to visitors from across the region and help boost tourism. She said: "We will also stage a spiritual evening with Islamic music to welcome Ramadan which falls in August."
While most are free, some shows have a small ticket entrance price of BD1, BD5 and BD10 and are available from Zain outlets. For further information contact 80008089, email bahrainsummer@info.gov.bh or visit www.bahrainsummer.bh
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
July 1 to 31
Nakhool's Tent Programme
Timings: 5pm to 9pm
Location: Al Malkiya, log on to the website to find details of address
Given the importance of the palm tree to Bahrain and the people throughout the region, a cool cartoon character has been created called Nakhool. It is being used as an interactive educational and leisure symbol and will be making frequent appearances throughout the event. The aim is to encourage environmental awareness. The Nakhool Tent will include camp adventure workshops, competitions, storytelling and book reading, sand art, Wii games, a play station corner, drawing and colouring stories, mad science and other cultural activities.
July 1 and 2
Lebanese Puppet Theatre's My Grandma's House 'Baytik Ya Setti'
Timings: 11am and 5pm
Location: Cultural Hall
Theme: The year is 2046. Trees, birds, green fields and clean air have vanished. Huge grey buildings stretch all around and a large wall separates the people from an unknown forbidden world. A young girl, Salma, along with her two friends, decides to climb over the wall to discover what hides behind it. They come across Grandma's house ... and as a result their lives change.
The team:
Directed by: Karim Dakroub
Music and lyrics by: Ahmad Kaabour
Script and video: Nehme Nehme
Set and puppet design by: Walid Dakroub
Costumes by: Fida Hteit
Art works: Rana Hamadeh
Cast: Marielise Aad, Catherine Dakroub, Fouad Yammin, Samir Youssef
Free entry.
July 3 and 4
Lebanese Puppet Theatre's Karakib
Timings: 11am and 5pm
Location: Cultural Hall
At sunset, the moon appears and rises to the sky, and then it splits in two, and changes into a man and a woman. The two characters move from one window to another, placing something upon its edge. Salloum appears from a window, and while breaking his toys and throwing them out, he notices a light circling around and producing beautiful shapes. In an attempt to figure out its source he sets out from his house and follows the light. The play is for free and is performed in Arabic.
The team:
Written and directed by: Karim Dakroub
Music by: Ahmad Kaabour
Puppets by: Walid Dakroub
Set design by: Fida Hteit
Story by: Fatina Wehbe El hajj
Cast: Marielise Aad, Catherine Dakroub, Fouad Yammin
July 5 and 6
Michael Flatley's Lord Of the Dance
Timings: 5pm to 8.30pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
The Lord of the Dance is a magical adventure of sight and sound that transports its audience to a mythical time and place, lifting the spirits and capturing the hearts of all who experience it. LOD was conceived and choreographed by Michael Flatley - the American-born world Irish dance champion who is responsible for creating a new wave of Celtic dance mania.
Flatley was listed by the Guinness Book of Records for having 'the world's fastest feet' - 35 taps per second. Based on Irish folklore, this classic tale of Good vs. Evil, expressed through the universal language of dance, has thrilled audiences' worldwide and catapulted Irish dance to a new dimension and unprecedented worldwide acclaim.
The show is a theatrical extravaganza that has helped catapult Irish dancing into the global spotlight and features more than 40 dancers who deliver an eloquent and stunning interpretation of one of Ireland's most famous legends.
A total of 600 costumes are used between all of the LOD troupes. LOD has been the highest grossing dance show in the world since it began in 1996. It has now performed sell-out shows in over 67 countries worldwide and on every continent. LOD's Troupe Three completed a highly-acclaimed and hugely successful five-year residency in Las Vegas, with an estimated two million people attending. The soundtrack has achieved gold and silver status in Australia, Canada and in the UK. www.lordofthedance.com
July 8
A Tribute to Abdel Halim Hafez - Elhefny Group
Timings: 8pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
Al Hefney group was established in Cairo and performs at the Cairo Opera House, Beit Eddin and other regional and international music festivals. Abdel Halim Hafez was one of the most popular Arab Egyptian singers and actors not only in Egypt but throughout the Middle East from the 1950s to the 1970s. He is considered to be one of the four 'greats' of Egyptian and Arabic music along with Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Farid Al Attrach.
July 10
Celebrating the Golden Age of Arab Music - Elhefny Group
Timings: 8pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
The 1920s to the 1950s is considered the 'golden age' of song in many parts of the Arab world in particular - Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. Many of these countries greatest singers and composers reached unprecedented heights of artistry and stardom throughout these years.
The artists include diva Um Kulthoum, Mohammad Abdel Wahhab, Farid and Asmahan Al-Atrash, Wadi' Al-Safi and Fairuz. The 10-piece Arab orchestra and special guest vocalists bring the era back to life in an evening of classic and unforgettable melodies.
Entry is free.
July 14 to 17
The Little Big Club
Timings: 11am, 4pm, 7pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
A fun, song and dance musical show features the lovable, huggable T-Rex Barney, along with his dinosaur buddies, BJ, Baby Bop and cousin Riff. This multi-character show stars 14 hit characters in one show - Barney and friends, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Angelina Ballerina, Pingu and Fireman Sam, all in one line up, as never seen before!
www.hitentertainment.com/littlebigclub
July 20 to 23
BEN10 Power of the Omnimatrix (pictured left)
Timings: 11am, 4pm, 7pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
An exciting live-action adventure stage show featuring popular hero Ben Tennyson incorporating live action including acrobatics, abseiling, skateboarding as well as a huge multi-media set with projected graphics and video animation.
July 25
Fire of Anatolia - Evolution
Timings: 11am, 4pm, 7pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
Turkey's celebrated Anadolu Ateis Dance Company, known internationally as the Fire of Anatolia will perform the new version of its extraordinary performance titled 'Fire of Anatolia-Evolution'. The dance group mixes traditional and modern dances with ballet whilst reflecting the rich Anatolian culture with its choreographies composed of hundreds of folk dances collected from 7 different regions of Anatolia. The show has reached more than 20 million of viewers through 3,000 performances held in 80 countries, from Siberia to Japan.
www.fireofanatolia.com
July 28
Evening of Contemplation - Mesut Kurtis & Maher Zain
Timings: 8pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
The Evening of Contemplation is a concert featuring world-renowned artists Mesut Kurtis (Turkey) & Maher Zain (Sweden). The two artists, through their beautiful songs, aim to make their listeners think and contemplate about life, and praise Allah. The concert aims to inspire, entertain and enlighten all who attend it. Free entry.
July 30
Googoosh - Memory Lane
Timings: 9pm
Location: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre
The woman who captured the imagination of millions so many years ago and still holds her position as the leading light of the Iranian entertainment industry. With a career spanning five decades, Googoosh has performed at sell-out concerts worldwide; a testament to her lasting quality as an artist and a tribute to fans who demonstrate their love and loyalty to an enduring star of a bygone era. www.googoosh.com
